Steven Universe What-If?
by AquaCapricorn
Summary: One-shots feature various what-if scenarios and episode ideas. Submit your idea in the reviews for a chance to have them made into one. Updates on it's own schedule. {Looking for ideas, any genre is accepted}
1. Rules for Submission

**Submit your Steven Universe episode ideas and I'll make them into a one-shot on this fanfiction. Submit your ideas in the reviews/comments section.**

 **Just three rules:**

 **-Keep it teen, which means: No harsh language, no overly violent concepts, no lemon. Character death and shipping is still allowed though.**

 **-This is for Steven Universe only, which means no crossovers. You don't have to keep exclusively with canon, so if you have an idea about a crack ship, genderswap, etc, go ahead and submit the idea.**

 **-Don't get angry if I don't use your idea. I still might use it later.**

 **Thank you, and happy submitting.**


	2. Snacks!

It was a rather ordinary day, Steven and Peridot gaming on his Nintendo 64 while the gems were away on a mission. Steven went to go get some chips while Peridot reached desperately for the cookies at the top of the shelf. Peridot took a liking to sweet things, and she was taller than Steven anyways. However, this was difficult to reach even for her.

"Steven! How do I reach the top row of your Earth-foods?" Said Peridot, her hands only barely reaching the cookies.

"You should use the stool, but be careful." Said Steven. As he saw Peridot reaching to open her mouth, he added: "No, it's not a weapon." He giggled a little bit, and Peridot let out a little snort before laughing along a little bit. Peridot took out the stool, and reached but her footing was off. Her hand knocking the honey from the top shelf, she fell down, getting sticky from the honey in the process. "I've got you!" Yelled Steven running over to catch her.

"Wait!" It was too late. Peridot was stuck in Steven's arms. More specifically, her arms were stuck to his arms, and one of her legs was stuck to his arm as well. As he tried to shake her off, she stepped back with her other leg, tugging him back. It was an awkward and stiff tango of sorts, ending with Peridot falling back trying to free herself. Then, Steven's gem began to glow. "Wha-"

They fused, into Topaz. It's gem was orange-pink and it took a quick look at itself. It was slightly chubby, but not fat. A pale pink visor covered a four-eyed face, although the eyes were still visible through it. Steven's shirt hung over a version of Peridot's jumpsuit that left Steven's gem visible. Topaz wore Steven's jeans, with Peridot's foot-pads. They were about the size of Garnet, curly hair styled like a triangle adding to the height that is.

"Whoa. WHOA! WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!" Said Topaz, it's voice high. It was confused, nervous and excited all at the same time. Topaz jumped up and down, just to try out it's legs. Then stretched out it's legs.

"I thought your organic properties made this impossible!" Said Peridot from inside the fusion, it's voice now mixture of it's own and her voice. Topaz was not sticky, although it was a bit harder to move than a usual fusion.

"Wow! Think of all the cool things we can do now! Wait, can I use your electric-powers?" Steven took out his phone from his jeans, and shocked it, charging it quickly. "So cool!" Topaz smiled, putting the phone in it's pocket. "Wait, Peridot, do you know what this means?!"

"What?" Said the Peridot half, adjusting the visors.

"We don't have to take turns!" Said the Steven half, climbing up rather effortlessly to the top floor while carrying the chips. They both smiled internally, and Topaz's smile grew wider, the new fusion quickly putting in a new game. Topaz grabbed the controller, and got ready to play.

 _Several hours later.._

Topaz had eaten the bag rather quickly, both the chips and the literal bag. Steven might not feel so well later, but for now the fusion found the bag to be an extra snack. However, now they were hungry again. After all, only half of the energy was going to the person that really needed it.

"OOOO, I can reach the cookies!" Said Topaz. Such a productive use of fusion! Think of the possibilities! Topaz licked it's lips. As Topaz swiftly reached to grab the cookies, Topaz's hand hit the honey harder than it meant to, and it went flying into Topaz's face. "NOT AGAIN!" Topaz fell down and un-fused. Steven laughed, while Peridot grunted.

"I will destroy this honey once and for all!" Peridot said, her teeth tearing into the bottle and devouring it with all the honey inside.

"Well, at least we got the cookies!" Said Steven, nervously glancing at the broken cookie jar on the floor. "How are we going to explain this to the gems?"


	3. Descent Into Moonlight

_HE was the spawn of Greg, HE killed her, HE is the reason I am alone, why do they like HIM?_

Pearl's lip was bloody, well, as bloody as a gem could be. A slightly turquoise liquid stained her teeth and lips. She had been biting it hard for the last few hours, and her fingers had dug themselves deep into her hair by now. It had been weeks.. nay, months since the birth of the THING. The thing that claimed the love of her life, the thing that claimed her sanity. That THING's name was "Steven". Not that she would ever call IT that.

Garnet and Amethyst had tried to coax her to like that THING, but it would never have her love. They said Rose died for a reason, they said that she should listen, but she did not. No, she would not listen to anything that loved that thing, for that thing had claimed her love. Rose. The very memory of Rose sent Pearl into a bitter cursing, thrashing rage, then simmering down to a silent sob. She pounded her fist against the floor, before falling onto it.

Garnet said Pearl would like IT. Pearl would be IT's protector like the rest of them, but Pearl instead withdrew. Further and further. Deeper and deeper. She scratched the ground of her room. Ever since IT came into the world, Pearl's room had been bone-dry, just like her mind.

A shuffling came from the door. Pearl resisted the urge to throw her spear at the interloper. She had done it several times before, almost poofing Amethyst one time, but these days, Pearl wasn't even angry anymore. She was in her own world, one that was dead and dry. The gems had stopped visiting her for a while. Garnet came into Pearl's room. Holding the THING.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" Screeched Pearl, her back arched and her fingers outstretched. Garnet stepped back, as if alarmed by Pearl's sudden movement. It wasn't too often Pearl even moved anymore, such a vigorous response only made in privacy. But the sight of the THING brought back every memory. The THING's curly hair reminded her all too much of Rose's, and his eyes. Pearl smashed the ground, leaving a crack in the pristine white floors of her room.

"Pearl." Said Garnet, as stoic as ever since the passing of Rose. "You're scaring Steven. He wanted to meet you, don't you want to say hi?" The Steven-thing shuffled uneasily in Garnet's hands. Pearl got up, stomping her foot to the ground as she got up.

"I SAID, GET OUT OF HERE!" Shouted Pearl, tears beginning to stream down her face. "D-don't you get it..? Rose is gone! She could be gone f-forever. That THING killed her..." Pearl's speech devolved into sad babbling, as she dropped to her knees and finally collapsed on the floor, her eyes looking blank ahead. "W-why couldn't have it been me.. I promised to protect her... she's gone... she's gone.."

Garnet backed away, bringing Steven closer to herself. Pearl was getting worse every day, and she didn't know what to do. She thought at first Rose's final mission (to protect Steven) would be enough to win over Pearl, but Pearl instead hissed and shouted at any mention of Rose. Her hair became unkempt, and her shawl torn. Garnet had tried to get her to see Steven, but every time she broke down.

At this rate, ah, never mind. Pearl couldn't hide in her room forever. she still came out every now and again to do missions, maybe one day Garnet could talk to her calmly. Days passed , and Pearl continued to withdraw from the world.

She stopped going on even solo missions.

After all, who cares about some humans on the other end of the planet. Once, she thought of humans as a minor nuisance, something cute that Rose would get distracted by, but then come back to Pearl when it didn't work out. Then Greg happened, then "Steven" happened. What she knew now about humans, is that they are dangerous, and that they are manipulative. They didn't deserve protecting, they could handle themselves.

Most of her days were spent in the crumbling ruins of her room, staring at ceiling, breaking it down bit by bit, breaking herself down but by bit, until she felt not as bad again. There were no painless days, they were all burdened with the knowledge she couldn't have prevented IT, she could have done something about IT. Soon, before she even knew, it was the THING's birthday.

The anniversary of Rose's passing. IT did this. IT did this all! HE caused this all! HE took everything from me! Pearl's nails scrapped deep lines in the pale floors, tearing them apart until only the depths of rock below remained. She snarled and hissed and threw spears into the wall until she was too tired to move. But she kept summoning them. She fell onto one of the spears, feeling her body poof back into it's gemstone. Why couldn't have it pierced her gem, why couldn't it have shattered it... WHY WAS SHE GONE?! WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE!?

 _Outside of the Temple..._

Garnet saw something. Something was going to attack Steven tonight, she saw it in her future visions. She hurried to the other side of the beach, where the party was being packed up, Steven's gifts already being hauled by Amethyst to the van. Neither her nor Greg were around. Not a good sign. Steven laid asleep on the sand, and above him...

A pale shimmering creature, like a cross between a swan and a crane, long neck ending in a thin spear-like beak. Two large eyes, both a pale blue, and four large wings. A body almost like that of a hunched-over humanoid, so thin that it's ribs were sticking out, and two long legs ending in humanoid hands with bird-like talons. A pale cream down covered it's body, with a sandy crest of feathers near the back of it's head and a long train of blue-green feathers as it's tail. And in the middle of it's head, between it's large blue eyes, a pearl. The creature was Pearl.

It picked up Steven in one of it's "hands" and brought him in close. The monster looked at Garnet, and seemed to almost remember who she was, visibly quaking for but a moment. "Pearl, stop." Said Garnet, her muscles locking up. The corruption, she saw the war again, her allies turning into monsters before her eyes as they regenerated.. and now Pearl.

"Rrrose.." The creature made out under it's breath, looking at the gemstone on the young boy's stomach. Her beak began to make an incision. She just wanted the gem back. She wanted, no, needed Rose back. SHE needed HER. SHE was going to take HER back from HIM.

Garnet reached out, her eyes growing wide in fear. "DON'T TOUCH HIM!" She said, summoning her gauntlet. _Do it Ruby!_ Shouted Sapphire in her head. Yet Ruby held her fist back. All she could see in the monster bird was Pearl, the way it crowed Rose's name, the way it gazed at her with such regret. _That isn't Pearl anymore, this is for her own good._

Garnet punched Pearl clean in the stomach, watching the bird tumble away onto the beach, it's wings spread and it's beak bloody. Steven fell to the ground, his spit filled with blood. He could be injured soon, or he could be dying- Oh sweet gem! Pearl began to fly away, her wings spread in desperation, heading towards the sky, when thorny vines emerged from the sand. "What?" Said Garnet, her visor slipping slightly to let her third eye be seen. The vines were emerging from where Steven's spit and blood hit the ground.

The thorny vines wrapped themselves around Pearl, her four wings flared outwards and her beak opened. "R-R-R-r-r-r-rrrk!?" She screeched, the thorny vines wrapping around her until she was unable to move. One of the vines punctured her back, the vine emerging from the other side, bursting from her chest. And as her blue eyes started to dim, she caught something in the corner of her eye. They were all blooming into roses, beautiful pink roses, all except one. The one that pierced her chest was black. _Good-bye._

Pearl poofed, leaving behind her gem, a single black rose petal dropping onto the gemstone as the vines and brambles melted away. Garnet dropped onto the sand and held the gemstone. This was your fault, you saw this and you did nothing, now Pearl is gone and you're going to lose Steven too. No, she could save Steven, she could do it.

She bubbled the gem, and rushed Steven to the hospital.

 _Many years later..._

Steven was 12. He had done many impressive things, and even summoned his shield thrice before. However, he always was a little bit alone, there seemed to always be a void in the team, something more than just his mom. An even bigger hole.

Something the gems never wanted to talk about. Whenever he asked them about the scar on his stomach, they would look away. Then, one time he tried to tame a corrupted gem, a pale bird with a gem on it's forehead, Garnet cried when he was unable to tame it, and when it poofed, Amethyst didn't come out of her room for days. He learned

"Garnet." Said Steven, after he came back from Lapis's tower. He was surprised when he learned that all of the monsters used to be gems, and he started to connect the pieces. "D-did you used to know that bird? Like before she was corrupted?"

"It's a long story."


	4. I Was Right

_"And now I'm gonna die... a tired, frozen little... sad sack."_

A bitter coldness surrounded him, an eternity of darkness behind him. And now he was coming to join it. Steven's eyes shut, as his grip loosened on the robonoid. At this moment, he was alone, utterly helpless, and about to die. The robonoid spared no mercy in jabbing him as it went on it's way to one of the warps streams. Steven shivered, gasping desperately for air.

What were they? What were they doing? Why..? Steven's thoughts trailed off as his fingers started to turn blue and numb. Everything was becoming numb, his mind, his body. Everything he said, it was all true, and all for nothing? How long would it be until the gems noticed he was gone? How long until he... It was better not to think, even as it happened before his eyes, the numbness spreading and growing worse.

Everything he cared for, fading away as he drifted. His vision became blurry, his insides freezing from within. So much he wanted to do, so much he wanted to be, and he wouldn't now. He was sorry his last interaction with the gems had to be so negative, and he wish he had a proper good-bye, but.. There was none of that now. Just the cold void of space.

The robonoids stopped coming. Were they sent here to do something? What..? W-.. Is that mom? Steven felt his body go light, as the numbness engulfed his body and mind, and all went dark.

 _The next morning..._

"STEVEN! STEEEEEEVEN!?" Pearl had been frantically calling for the last four hours. She was worried sick, almost literally as she went around yelling until her voice became hoarse and tiny, then repeating the process all over again. Amethyst said to calm down, but obviously Pearl would not. Not only had Steven completely disappeared, but Garnet had too, that is, until the Warp Pad activated again. That's when things got... complicated.

Garnet's head was buried in her hands, and under one arms she had tucked a body, a frozen corpse. The corpse of Steven to be precise. Garnet cursed herself internally. She saw this, she knew this, she knew she should have been there to help him, but she dismissed him. Now he was dead, his body lifeless and motionless in her arms. Garnet shook in sadness and for the first time in a long, long while, fear.

Amethyst's actions were imminent, she hastily snatched Steven out of Garnet's arm and held him out. "Garnet, what's wrong with him!?" She said, placing the body onto the floor. His ears, nose and fingers were a dead purple, and the rest of his body equally as frostbitten. His face was blue, as if he had died from a lack of air. A tear slipped it's way under Garnet's visor.

Pearl almost instantly knew he was dead, but she didn't want to believe it. She stood lingering for a few seconds, before rushing over, sprinting, grabbing the boy and hugging him so hard that she could have broken a rib. "STEVEN!" She spluttered under her sobbing voice.

"No, no, no, Steven can't be-.." Amethyst's voice trailed off. Garnet gave a solemn nod, as her fusion collapsed. Ruby, her eyes wet and her hands clenched into fists, went over and joined the hug. Amethyst was next, a sudden realization dawning over her. The purple gem clutched Steven close to her, and her gem glowed with a slight light, unlike that other either fusing or summoning, it was instead a glow of pure vital emotion, radiating from her heart.

Sapphire joined in last, her eye closing. For this moment, she was without her vision, closing her eye just for a second, to be in the moment. The moment they lost Steven. "We should have believed in him.."

Sapphire's eye opened once more. Whether it had been hours or days or weeks was impossible to tell, but the gems had been there for a long, long while, hugging their lost boy. Time became meaningless, as did many other things. Sapphire now saw what was to come, the invasion, the failure, the Cluster, but little mattered right now. Right now what mattered was Steven. All that remained of him now was a dust in the wind.

A pink gem had rolled across the floor, a shaping taking form in light. Some remnant of hope remained within them, until the light took it's final shape. Elegant curls falling upon a pale pink skin, and an expression that read confusion and anguish.

 _"Why am I here?"_


	5. Larimar

_(Sorry for my absence, time for some more fusion :^)_

 _Lapis!_ Pearl's hand outstretched to catch the blue gem. Pearl pulled her up, saving the blue gem from falling to the marble stone spires below. Lapis collapsed, her chest heaving and her face a bright blue. "It's ok, Lapis, you're safe." Said Pearl, helping Lapis to her feet.

Lapis leaned against Pearl, shivering and shaking. "Diamond Windmill is simply too strong for my wings to handle." Bits of ice clung to Lapis's back. "B-but, I think I'm getting through, let me try again.

The Diamond Windmill was an ancient device, around the size of a short gem like Peridot and with a shard of a diamond inside, used in the war, could freeze and throw around several enemies at once using it's cold winds. It had been weakened for a while by a sudden heat wave, so Pearl and Lapis were sent to get it.

"Lapis, you can't do this alone." Said Pearl, squeezing Lapis's hand as she tried to move to fly again. "It's too risky to go back out in this state!"

"I can do this, I don't need help." Said Lapis, summoning her watery wings.

"Please, trust me." Said Pearl. "I can help you. Take my other hand, I'll how you how."

Lapis instantly realized what Pearl was saying. Yet she was not sure, after her last experience with fusion. She slowly grabbed Pearl's other hand, her own blue hands drenched in sweat. Yet she didn't feel the sudden jerk of Jasper, not the sudden ragdoll feeling of being thrown about in a violent dance. She felt Pearl's own touch come light, and smooth. The feeling of unease, remained stubborn, like a rock in Lapis's stomach.

"Do you want to fuse? I know you are uncomfortable with it, and I won't force you to if you don't want to. I think we can find another way." Said Pearl, feeling Lapis tremble slightly. Slowly, Lapis's hands stopped shaking and calmed down.

"Yes, I want to fuse." Said Lapis. She trusted Pearl, and she trusted Pearl with her light. Those were the simple rules of fusion, ones broken more often than anyone cared to admit, as Lapis knew first-hand. It started small, stepping back and forth, hands connected. Lapis spun around as Pearl delicately stepped forward. Then, Pearl dipped into Lapis's arms. It felt uncomfortable at first, but it quickly felt almost natural, as Lapis brought Pearl's head to meet hers. A light blue glow enveloped the gems.

 _The two gems fused.._

Larimar opened her eyes for the first time, and knew what seeing was without truly ever doing it before. She stretched her long light blue fingers, and all four of her arms reached for the skies before falling to her sides. She was tall and thin, her midsection exposed, her upper body covered by a short loose tank top and a long transparent shawl that went from each wrist to her neck, making a scarf of sorts. She had two eyes, both light blue in color, with dark navy pupils.

Larimar smiled. It was a calming fulfillment to be herself. Not the powerful, emotional rush of Sardoynx, and not the dread of Malachite. She existed, and she was happy to exist. Time to get down to business.

Long feathered wings, each feather made from mist, formed on her back, as she took to the air and let out a cry. Not of victory, not of fear, not of pain. No, it was of simple joy, for Larimar was a release from stress, she was a break from turmoil for the gems inside of her. Flapping them, she brushed the cold winds aside and picked up the tiny windmill, stopping it's movements once and for all by holding it still and plucking out the diamond.

The diamond shard shook and took form. A transparent arm, various un-organic looking veins running through it, blue and red wires. Larimar dropped it in surprise, watching it fall. The arm was long and strong, and it grasped hard onto Larimar's ankle, dragging her down with it. Such a carefree state never lasted long with new fusions, and Larimar felt her first negative emotion-internal conflict.

Something flashed through Lapis on the inside. Memories of Jasper's strong arm grabbing her, pulling her in. No- focus. The fusion began to lose balance, began to shimmer and shake, the wings flapping in a desperate attempt to keep her up. She was more than this, she could learn to trust again. She needed to trust, for just a moment. She needed to trust herself, she needed to trust Pearl.

A barrage of sharp feathers impaled the arm. Each feather tipped like a spear, sharp and deadly, struck the arm. The arm poofed, letting a shard of Diamond fall. Larimar grabbed the shard before it fell, bubbling it in a beautiful icy blue bubble. Sending the bubble away to the temple, Larimar let all four of her hands rest by her side. The Pearl and the Lapis inside of Larimar calmed down, and indeed, now Larimar herself felt fit to come out again.

With delicate grace, Larimar landed on her toes, and stepped onto the warp. A warp later they were inside of the house, where Steven awaited his "Summer Fun Buddy" coming back. To his surprise, a giant woman greeted him. "Hello Steven." Said a voice, calm and at peace, happy and content.

"You fused!?" Said Steven, bewildered at the light blue gem. He knew Lapis HATED fusing since that one time, and seeing her fused with Pearl of all gems. Larimar smiled, picking up Steven and summoning her wings.

"Do you want to have some fun?" Said Larimar, her eyes glowing at the joy of the young boy. Steven nodded, and Larimar took flight. They screamed and twirled in the air, loops and dives. It came almost naturally, the flowing and the movement. She even saw Garnet for just a moment, give a small nod of approval. Larimar smiled, and Lapis did too.

Eventually however, even fusions got tired, and Larimar let Steven down, her wings dissipating into a fine mist. The sun had just begin to set, and Larmiar sat on the cliff, alone with herself. Although one is never truly alone when you are two. Sunset colors, vivid oranges and spiraling pink clouds, contrasted Larimar's.

 _Do you want to un-fuse?_ Said Pearl, inside of the fusion, looking onto the horizion. A sweet summer wind blew through the air.

 _Let's stay Larimar for just a little bit longer._ Said Lapis, laying her hands on the green grass. And for once, her palms did not feel the curling hold of Jasper's.


	6. Irritant Irritation

(Pearl has to experience what life is like for a normal human for a day

IT IZ BACK GUYS)

Pearl scratched at her gem. Something unsavory was in there, something that had caused her an intense itch for the last few hours. She felt so _weak_ so _heavy_ and so _tired_. Not unfamiliar feelings, but these ones didn't seem to go away with rest. "Ugh, why am I so itchy!?" She yelped, scratching at her gem.

"Are you going to go one a mission, or are you just going to sit there and whine?" Said Amethyst, crossing her arms. She never liked seeing Pearl in pain, and the gem certainly seemed to be in a bit right now.

"Hmm.." Garnet adjusted her visor. Pearl sat up, slamming her palm onto the ground to prop herself up.

"Garnet, do you know why my gem is so itchy?" Pearl kicked out her legs as another wave of pain and itchiness bit at her mind. It was almost as if her gem was cracked, yet there was no visible damage.

Garnet thought back to yesterday ago, fighting monsters, when one of the monsters gems chipped. She had never considered where the gem bits might have gone.

"I think you have a magical irritant in your pearl. That's not supposed to happen, unless... Pearl, a gem bit must have gotten stuck in your gem while we were fighting the monsters yesterday. Your body's response will be to coat it in a layer of Nacre and eject it, but until then.." Garnet paused. "You will have to reduce your power level to about that of a human's. That'll give you better odds of successfully ejecting the irritant from your gem."

Pearl's stomach sank. She didn't want to be this way for long, at least not long enough until she had, EUGH, eat. " How long?" She said, rather nervously. She knew how long actual Nacre gems took to make Pearls, and Pearl bodies weren't designed to expel irritants (one reason among many she and other Pearls cleaned so vigorously). Then again, Pearl nacre was not magical, and she wasn't creating any sentient slaves.

"2 days, 1 if your lucky." Said Garnet. All her visions showed it being a small irritant, not a major cause for concern.

"Ok." Said Pearl, wiping her brow, before reducing the amount of energy her Pearl emitted to a major low. She felt the effect almost instantly, her body becoming much less coordinated and her body being drenched in sweat to cool herself off from her fever. Is this how humans felt all the time? It's awful!

"Bye." Garnet's voice was as stoic and calm as usual. Garnet and Amethyst warped away in a flash of bright blue light. It hurt to see them leave without her, but what condition was she in to argue. She watched as they left, and sat on the couch for a while. There must be something she could do.

Pearl stood up, to feel that movement was not quite as effortless as it had been when she was a gem. She felt heavier, her thin limbs felt weak and bony. Worst of all, her throat was as dry as a desert, and her stomach had this weird grumbling feeling. She could not feel her gem right now, the soft glow inside of her that gave her a reminder that she was in fact alive. Well, it was still in her head, and she was still it, but it's energy was focused somewhere else, not to herself as usual. She must get energy from somewhere, but where?

When Steven came down to see Pearl clutching her stomach on the couch, he gasped a little. "Are you alright?" He said, sitting on the couch.

"Garnet told me to reduce my energy to human levels because something's stuck in my gem, and-" Pearl paused as her stomach growled again. "Why does my stomach make that noise? It's odd, I've only ever heard it from you so.. Um.. Do you know what it is?" She supposed it must be a human thing.

"Oh, that means you're hungry." Said Steven with a little smile. He grabbed some cash and stuffed it into his jeans. "Do you want to come to the Big Donut with me?"

"What?" Said Pearl. She remembering hearing hungry somewhere, but it never hit her that this is what she was feeling. Making a few connections (hungry, Big Donut, donuts), she drew to a horrifying conclusion. "Y-you mean, I have to eat!?" She hissed a little bit. But the hunger feelings, the emptiness and the desire to please Steven made her sigh a bit. "Ok, ok."

She had just barely stepped out of the house when her long nose started to bring air into her lungs. Breathing was something somewhat foreign to her. She did when she was tired, and she knew what it was, how it worked, but she had never so casually breathed air. It felt.. odd, yet her body needed the energy, so she kept breathing.

They had finally made it to the shop full of grease. Pearl's nose wrinkled in mild disgust, at the slight of so much human food, so much sugary and unhealthy human food. Steven came up to the counter, where Lars and Sadie were arguing with each other. When they saw the young boy, they mellowed out a bit, but they looked confused at the slight of Pearl. "Are you ok?" Said Sadie.

"What do you mean?" Said Pearl, rubbing her temples. Sadie looked at Pearl's gemstone, flickering and with a small orb where the nacre was building up. Pearl herself didn't look awfully healthy either. Without her gemstone giving her proper support, she looked weak and frail, little muscles, pasty skin and very, very thin.

"What the heck is going on with your forehead?" Lars pointed to the flickering gemstone.

"Oh Pearl had to reduce her power so now-" Steven was interrupted by a swift hand over his mouth.

"You don't go around telling people that, what if they want to hurt us?" Whispered Pearl. She eased out a little upon realizing they were just at the Big Donut.

"It's just Lars and Sadie." Said Steven, taking out his money. He went back up to the counter. "Sorry, um.. I'd like a donut and a pop. Pearl, what do you want?"

"I'll have some tea." That part was easy, after all, even when she didn't need to she would rarely indulge in a cup of tea. It was one of the few human drinks she would touch. Now for the food part.. Er. "Um, I'd like to have that.. crescent-shaped pastry."

"You mean a croissant?" Said Lars, looking rather unamused.

"Yes." Said Pearl, shoving a 5 dollar bill and some coins onto the counter. The food was quickly prepared, and Steven and Pearl sat down at a table. Pearl stared at the croissant, the flaky bread sitting warm on a paper plate.

"So, I have to put this croissant in my mouth, and use my teeth to break it down into a pulpy mush." _Just what I've always wanted._ Thought Pearl, prodding the food with a finger. Her face turned green just thinking about eating. As a gem, she had no inclination to eat. The smell of the food did not make her mouth water, quite the opposite actually. Her mouth was as dry as a bone.

"Yeah. Just don't think about it too much." Said Steven, popping open his can. He took a sip and then bit into the donut. He smiled, his teeth full of little sprinkles and pieces of the donut. "See, it's easy."

Pearl cringed, and moved the croissant to her mouth. She took a small bite, the tip of the croissant, and began to.. eeeUGHeeeUGH, chew. After Alexandrite, she was in no hurry to chew again, and feeling that food get wet and mushy in her mouth made her turn slightly green. She swallowed, and the mush spilled down her throat, landing with a plop in her stomach. She clutched her stomach, and her face went flat on the table.

 _BEET...BEET...BEET..._

Ugh, where was she? Her eyes popped open to Steven and the rest of the gems, along with Connie and Dr. Maheswaran, in a hospital. "Wait, why am I here?" Said Pearl, her vision slightly blurry. There were a crowd of confused people around her.

"You took a bite and fainted." Said Steven, rubbing the back of his head. "They said there was no heart-beat, so they got all worked up and a tiny pearl just popped out of your forehead so they got really confused and everybody went overboard. So... um... glad you're awake now." Pearl's face turned a bright blue, as she got up, still a bit groggy. She was glad "fainting" didn't come with dreams.

"I should have thought of that prank earlier, oh you should have seen how they were panicking." Said Amethyst, snickering to 's dismay.

"W-where is the bit.. it can't form right?" Said Pearl, slightly disoriented but already standing on her feet, albeit with a wobble.

"It can't, but we bubbled it to be safe." Said Garnet, adjusting her shades with certainty.

Pearl stumbled onto her feet. "I'm ready for a mission! Oh, this feels as good as a week of regeneration. Is this what sleep is supposed to be?"

"Pretty much, except without the fainting part." Said Steven.

"Ok, gems, let's go!" Said Pearl. Being a human was horrid, but maybe not everything about it was so bad after all.

"Wait! I'm still mostly in the dark here." Said Dr. Maheswaran. "I'll need to file a report, so.. could you tell me how this happened and why a small pearl just popped out of the gem on your head? And what do you mean by regeneration?"

"It's a long story."


End file.
